Chapter 4: Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolutionary Relationships Quiz

Molecular Phylogenetics

• The focus of Molecular Phylogenetics is on the analysis and reconstruction of evolutionary relationships among organisms using molecular data.

Challenges of Morphology

• A challenge when using morphology for phylogenetic analysis is that it can be misleading due to convergent evolution, where different species develop similar morphological features independently.

Phylogenetic Inference

• A phylogeny can infer the evolutionary relationships among a set of organisms, including their common ancestors and the order in which they diverged.

Molecular Data vs. Morphology

• Molecular data is preferred over morphology in phylogenetic analysis because it is less susceptible to convergent evolution and provides more precise and consistent data.

Taxonomy

• Taxonomy is primarily concerned with the classification, identification, and naming of organisms.

Molecular Data Advantages

• Relationship inference is easier with molecular data compared to visible morphology because molecular data provides a more accurate and detailed record of evolutionary history.

Binomial Nomenclature

• The second part of the binomial name for a species is known as the specific epithet.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

• The correct order of taxonomic groups from broad to narrow is: domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species.

Phylogenetic Tree

• The tips of a phylogenetic tree represent the contemporary species or organisms being studied.

Outgroup

• The purpose of including an outgroup in phylogenetic methods is to provide a reference point for rooting the tree and polarizing the characters.

Clade

• A clade includes a group of organisms that shares a common ancestor and all of its descendants.

Unrooted Trees

• An unrooted phylogenetic tree specifies the relationships among the organisms but does not indicate the direction of evolution or the common ancestor.

Sister Groups

• Sister groups in a phylogenetic tree are groups that share a more recent common ancestor with each other than with any other group.

Tree Branches

• The branches on a phylogenetic tree connect nodes or ancestral species.

Scaled vs. Uncaled Trees

• The main difference between scaled and unscaled trees is that scaled trees include a time or distance scale, while unscaled trees do not specify the evolutionary distances or times.

Phylogenetic Tree Types

• An unscaled tree specifies only the degree of kinship among taxa but not the evolutionary path or times.